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We were faced with a challenge when looking at back of vehicle signage for cyclists.  We wanted to inform cyclists that our product was fitted, but equally we didn’t want to convey a message that said it was safe to go up the inside of the vehicle.

We conducted extensive research into what is currently available and found there is a myriad of signage available.  Much of this signage is misleading and often near on impossible to read at even the shortest distance.  The Freight Transport Association sells a number of stickers and under the category of van and car you can find a sticker that says ‘…Cyclists, beware of passing this vehicle on the inside…’.    Personally, I prefer stay back or something even harsher and this particular sign points to a rather namby pamby patronising tone.

Indeed, a recent report on BikeBiz,  explains that some of the cycling campaign groups say ’Stay Back’ signage was treating cyclists as second class road users and there was a danger that not abiding by signage could lead to liability issues.  I am not sure I follow that, but calls for a standard or at least guidance and recommendation must be a good thing.  But guidance from who we ask ?  Dare I say a DfT recommendation?

Many vehicles have more than one sticker and TFL, who were at the above meeting and are reported as agreeing to ban Stay Back stickers have a selection of stickers on their FORS site.   These are illegible from the website as the writing is so small, but there are six to choose from.  One has a cycle image in red circle, one has a cycle image in red circle with a line through it, one has a cycle image in black and yellow triangle.    Ironically, there is no Stay Back sticker so whether TFL is saying we are happy to keep all these confusing, illegible signs and ban the one that is arguably the simplest and conveys a direct message, we are not sure.  Essentially we thought that the signs in use at the moment stigmatise the cyclist and we wanted something that placed each user on equal footing.

From our own investigations, the more we dug into what was available the more we realised that a common image was required that communicated to cyclists that the message involved both LGV and cyclist.  Let’s face it, the image of just a cyclist on a yellow sticker (or red circle, triangle square etc) means, well …. what exactly ?   Indeed, what about the many foreign tourists who jump onto a Boris Bike or other hire cycle, what does it say to them, or not say to them?  The following is a photo I took a while ago of such a sign.  For all its good intentions, the message is completely bootless.

This led to us creating the following image, which is another world’s first on the market and very cleverly (we would say that) encapsulates cyclist and vehicle.  Placing the cycle over the LGV at equal scale was our attempt to place each road user on an equal footing.   A message of caution to both parties is implied without any additional warning. It’s implicit in the obvious vulnerability of the cycle in contrast to a LGV that get this across without hectoring either.

The warning is clear, the message is plain and is something all road users can identify with.  The sign is saying “caution” to everyone. It’s implication is that it’s a shared space.

We are not saying this must be used as a standard, but ours is a voice worth considering when TFL (or the DfT) come to investigate best practice for signage.  So get in touch TFL!